CAMPBELLSVILLE, KY – Cumberladns continued their undefeated start to the 2026-27 season Friday afternoon, cruising past Indiana University Southeast 92-57 in their opening game of the Campbellsville Classic. Cumberlands used a dominant defensive effort to hold the Grenadiers to just 27.7% shooting from the field while placing five players in double figures. UC led by as many as 35 points and improved to 4-0 on the season with its third victory by double digits.

Trey Johnson led the Patriots with a game-high 23 points off the bench, scoring 20 in the second half while connecting on five three-pointers. The senior guard shot 6-of-16 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line while adding four assists and a block. Javecckio Thomas followed with 14 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, shooting 6-of-10 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Brant Smithers added 13 points with three triples, while Tajahri Cave finished with 10 points and three assists.

Abraham Ibezimakor recorded his second double-double of the season, finishing with 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds in just 18 minutes of action. The senior forward shot 6-of-8 from the floor and grabbed four offensive rebounds. Malachi Robinson made an impact across the stat sheet, recording eight assists, six rebounds, three steals, and four points, while Tanner Walton added seven points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting.

Cumberlands established control early as Walton opened the scoring with a layup before Thomas connected from beyond the arc to give UC a 5-0 lead. Smithers knocked down a pair of three-pointers, while Robinson scored inside and Johnson added a triple to extend the advantage to 17-7 with just over 15 minutes remaining. Ibezimakor scored his first basket of the afternoon before Walton added a jumper and a three-pointer to push the lead to 24-12. Jhamien Smith then came away with a steal and finished with a dunk in transition to give the Patriots a 26-12 advantage midway through the half.

The Patriots continued to create separation behind their defense, forcing turnovers and limiting Indiana Southeast's opportunities from the perimeter. Smithers scored off an offensive rebound before Thomas added consecutive layups, including one off a Robinson steal, to extend the lead to 34-14. Thomas then knocked down his second three-pointer of the half to make it 37-18 with just over six minutes remaining. Jhamien Smith added a basket inside, while Cave scored in the paint off a Johnson assist to push the lead to 41-24. Smith added a free throw in the closing minute as Cumberlands carried a commanding 42-24 advantage into halftime.

UC picked up where it left off to begin the second half, with Cave scoring inside before Thomas added a layup off a Robinson assist to extend the lead to 47-24. Smithers connected from deep to make it 54-31, but the Grenadiers responded with a run to trim the deficit to 59-46 with just over 12 minutes remaining. Ibezimakor answered with a putback layup, and Thomas scored inside to help keep the Patriots comfortably ahead. Johnson then took over offensively, converting a three-point play following a Walton steal before knocking down back-to-back three-pointers to extend the lead to 73-50 with under eight minutes remaining.

The Patriots continued to pull away down the stretch as Smithers scored inside before Johnson connected on another three-pointer off a Robinson assist to make it 78-50. Robinson followed with a dunk off a Thomas assist, extending the lead to 80-50 with just over six minutes remaining. Ibezimakor then dominated the interior, scoring five baskets in the final six minutes to push UC's lead past 30. Kendall Phillips added a pair of free throws, while Zubin Davidson converted one from the charity stripe as Cumberlands closed out the 92-57 victory.

Cumberlands shot 47.8% from the field and 37.9% from beyond the arc, connecting on 11 three-pointers while recording 22 assists. The Patriots outrebounded the Grenadiers 45-32 and scored 42 points in the paint, including 13 second-chance points. Defensively, UC held Indiana Southeast to just 18-of-65 shooting and 8-of-35 from three-point range, forcing 14 turnovers and converting those into 21 points. The Patriots also received 44 points from their bench.

The Patriots (4-0) return to action Saturday, November 7, when they face Goshen College in their final game of the Campbellsville Classic. Tip-off is scheduled for 12 PM ET.

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